Death by Temptation (Book #14 in the Caribbean Murder series)
Jaden Skye
CHAPTER 1
It was hard for Cindy to believe that she and Mattheus were sitting on a plane again, close to one another, streaming across the azure sky. Mattheus had taken control this time and arranged the trip completely. It was a vacation for them in St. Lucia—the honeymoon capital of the world.
“Please leave it all to me,” Mattheus had pleaded after the last case they were on had finally come to an end. “Trust me, Cindy.”
Cindy wondered if she could. She was hesitant about future plans.
“I’m going to make this trip perfect for us, I promise,” Mattheus had insisted. “I know what you like, I know what we need.”
“I’m glad you know, Mattheus,” Cindy had murmured, “because I’m not exactly sure.”
Mattheus interrupted then, not really listening to what she said. “I know that we’re finally being granted this time together,” he insisted.
Cindy thought it was an odd way of putting it. “Being granted the time?”
“Yes,” Mattheus had repeated. “We’ve tried to get away alone together before and a thousand things always get in the way. All of a sudden the field is clear now. You’re ready, I’m ready. Let’s not miss this time together.”
Of course there was no way Cindy was going to tell Mattheus that she was not at all sure she was truly ready. Not yet anyway. Things had been so difficult between them; if there was even the least little chance that they could find a way back to one another, this was it. Cindy didn’t want to squash the possibility before it ever had a chance.
“We need time, Cindy,” Mattheus had insisted. “We have it now. In fact, as luck would have it, I know exactly where we should go. Destiny could be calling!”
Cindy’d laughed. “Destiny?” Was this truly Mattheus speaking? Destiny wasn’t something he’d ever believed in. Not so far as Cindy could tell.
“I recently heard from Rod, a good friend back in the States,” Mattheus continued. “He and I used to be best buds, but we lost touch after I settled in the Caribbean. He didn’t want me to go. Anyway, all of a sudden Rod contacted me again to invite me to his daughter Kara’s wedding. He was making a big shindig in the States and wanted the old gang to be together again. God, I remember when Kara was just born.”
Cindy was surprised. “You never mentioned anything about the wedding to me,” she commented.
“There was no reason to,” Mattheus continued, “I had no intention of going. There was too much going on down here.”
Cindy had wondered why Mattheus was telling her about this now.
“Anyway,” Mattheus answered Cindy’s unasked question, “I sent a wedding gift to Kara and Rod just called to thank me. Then he said that she and her new husband were honeymooning down in St. Lucia’s. In fact, they’re probably there now.”
“Yes?” asked Cindy.
Mattheus laughed. “That’s what I said to myself when Rod mentioned it. Then Rod went on about how fabulous it is in St. Lucia. It’s one of the main destinations for honeymoons and also magnificent, magical, romantic weddings. And get this—you can actually get a marriage license there in one day. It’s called Same Day Wedding.”
Cindy froze. Was Mattheus actually thinking of going down to Lucia and getting married secretly, fast?
“It’s the perfect next step for us, Cindy.” Mattheus’s eyes shone.
“Getting married down there the day we get there?” Cindy was horrified. “Just the two of us? Eloping?”
Mattheus had laughed. “Not the same day we arrive,” he’d murmured. “But there’s all kinds of possibilities once we’re there.”
“Mattheus!” Cindy’d stood up tall. “I’m not ready to elope. I don’t want to elope!”
“I know, I know,” he quieted her. “Just let’s go down there and enjoy ourselves. It’s lush, it’s gorgeous, there are rain forests, mountains, a live volcano, and all kinds of beaches including some with black sand.”
“Really?” Cindy was impressed. Mattheus knew that Cindy had always wanted to visit beaches with black sand.
“There’s sulfur springs, great diving, wonderful night life,” he went on, “and delicious food. Who knows how we’ll feel once we’re there?”
“Stop, Mattheus, stop!” Cindy had put her hand over his mouth.
He’d caught her hand, grabbed it, and kissed it hard. “If we’re going to give ourselves time, let’s do it at a honeymoon paradise. Let’s do it where we have a chance to go further, take another step.”
Cindy closed her eyes. They certainly needed and deserved time alone together and the place sounded beautiful. And she also loved the idea of being in a rain forest[cl1] .
“Just trust me on this one,” Mattheus insisted. “I’ll plan the details from top to bottom. You won’t have to do a thing.”